I flinched again two minutes later, even after when Krystal had left. I stooped down to grab the bruised apple from the floor. It hit my head pretty bad, but at least I didn’t get amnesia.

“What’s up with you and Krystal?” Kyuhyun asked me after he saw my angelic little sister storm off into a cluster of hot air.

I rubbed my head. Groaning, I my heel and left without replying.

What was up with everybody? First Kyuhyun, then Krystal? I’d love to get answers, but no drama was going to hold me back. I could figure them all out sooner or later, and I chose later. What I needed was to get out of the dorms as soon as possible and grab a room for rent. Possibly a cheap one.

But then again…

I turned my head around when I was nearing the girls’ practice room. My eyes went over to the direction where Krystal had fled to. As an older sister, I should at least find out what was wrong, and what I did to have made her spit out such words.

I made my way around and found myself stuck in-between one of the narrow corridors, and when a staff passed by I hurriedly asked about Krystal’s present whereabouts. Unfortunately I had missed her by a minute. She and the rest of her girls had already left the building for their photoshoot.

I gave my thanks and ran back to the practice room where the girls were just about to get started. Hyoyeon spotted me quicker than my own sister, and she called me over with a large grin.

“Erika!” She walked over to me, blonde hair swinging about her shoulders. “Good thing you’re here,” she said. “We were just about to start. Why don’t you join in?”

My eyes widened. “E-Excuse me?” I stuttered uncontrollably at her sudden offer.

“Sunny ran away,” Sooyoung shrugged from the corner while holding onto a hand towel.

“She probably left for that shoe sale today,” said Jessica who grunted. “Once I get my hands on her—”

“Point is,” Hyoyeon interrupted, “we need an extra member. Can you help us and do Sunny’s part? ‘Cause I’d really love to see your moves.”

My mouth was slightly open and almost to the point of dropping to the floor of the practice room. I could feel my body slowly turning to stone.

And just in time, Jessica came to my rescue. Sort of.

“Forget about her,” she said. “She’s too shy to practically move.”

The rest of the girls frowned a little, but I couldn’t do any more and just laughed awkwardly.

“I’m sorry,” I told them, and very quickly I turned to a new subject. “Actually, I have to go. I need to find Krystal. She acted so strange today when I bumped into her. One of the staff said she and the rest of f(x) were out for a photoshoot. Do you girls know where the shoot’s at?”

Yoona took a moment to think.

“Uh, probably in Gangnam,” she said. “If I’m not mistaken.”

“Alright, then I have to go,” I said to the rest, and I departed quicker than my feet could have taken me back to California.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After an entire day of walking around Gangnam, I finally gave up. I had been searching, but not a single sign of Krystal. It was either Yoona had accidentally given me false information or I was too dense to even find the location of that park they were supposed to be shooting at.

Everything . In the end I turned back, hopped on the bus, and rode to Seoul where I could finally go on my hunt for a rental room. I had been scavenging for half of my day, and another half was going to be added. My feet were already going numb from wearing the heels. But did I have a choice? I was already to the point of taking them off to walk barefoot on the sidewalk when my name was being called. Somewhere in my mind I was hoping it was Krystal, but the other part in my brain identified it as a male voice, unfortunately. And young.

I whirled around slowly a tired look and found myself staring at a bright and beaming face.

“Sehun,” I exclaimed when I saw him standing just right behind me, hands in his pockets.

“Hey, yourself,” he said. I didn’t know what else to say after that, but then he spoke again. “What’s up?”

I tried to think of something to reply with. “Um, not much.”

After yesterday, I wasn’t really sure if I could even face him. But inside me I could feel something warm burning up, and I almost felt happy all of a sudden.